This article offers a detailed, six-step, best-practice blueprint for discovering, prioritizing, and eradicating those "burning hassles" that are driving you, your colleagues, or your customers crazy. Overall success will be more likely if you do the following:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Hold a meeting with your group to kick off the discussion on hassles.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Explain the reason for the session, the process you will be using (see the steps below), and then begin brainstorming concerns, obstacles, and hurdles. Try to describe each issue in terms of its effects rather than whose fault it is.

You might want to consider "priming the pump" even before the meeting. For example, you could ask the group to think about and jot down ideas regarding the challenges that seem to be preventing the organization from smoothly fulfilling its mission. With enough advance notice, gathering this type of preliminary input can accelerate the process of eliminating the barriers that are holding people back.

When collecting ideas in advance, you could proceed in at least two ways: During the meeting, people can simply read off the ideas they have brought with them. A leader and/or facilitator could capture the ideas electronically, on sticky notes, on flip charts, or a combination. Then everyone can proceed to discuss them.

If even more front-end work with your group's inputs is desirable, you could ask people to submit issues ahead of time. Before the meeting, you would sort the issues into groupings of similar concerns, and give each grouping a label. During the meeting, you could distribute the issues in list format, and possibly even in chart format to highlight the frequencies of burning hassles within each category. The ensuing discussion will undoubtedly clarify these issues, and may further redefine the groupings.

Either of these advance data collection methods provides a preview of the meeting's purpose and lets people focus on comparing notes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Define each problem clearly.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

After collecting the group's basic inputs before or during the meeting, direct everyone's attention toward clarifying the issues. Most hassles point to broken or incomplete systems and processes rather than personal shortcomings.

Therefore, be as specific as possible, and focus more on what occurs rather than who does it. Attempt to determine the underlying reason for each issue by asking why five times, or until you identify the root cause(s).

---------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Prioritize the hassles by subjecting them to a five-question test.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Use the answers to determine the order in which to resolve them:

a. What is the perceived impact or severity? For instance, is the level of frustration associated with each hassle high, medium, or low?

b. Are your customers bothered? For example, if an obstacle could impede customer service, or make your offerings difficult to use, it passes this test! A related exercise entails identifying your customers' top 10 complaints. Look for matches between the group's hassles and those of your customers.

c. Can you get a quick resolution? Try to identify which hassles you can reduce or eliminate in the shortest time, such as within three to six months.

While you shouldn't ignore the obstacles that need more time, you can generate a stronger feeling of momentum by tackling the easier ones first. A few quick successes can really boost morale!

d. Can you more easily achieve a business goal? For example, will removing a certain hurdle help the organization attain a goal such as cutting production time? If, say, people are bogged down entering the same data over and over again, and it causes reports to be perpetually late, the hassle passes this test.

e. Is the solution under your group's control? If you're in control, you can decide which resolution methods to use. That way, you can reap the benefits more easily. If a hassle isn't under your control, it's probably a system-level obstacle that involves other people and processes. To resolve system-level issues, you can get that ball rolling if you: a) identify the factors beyond your control, b) research them, and c) propose a solution that others can perform.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Consider a range of possible solutions.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Brainstorm as many ideas as possible. You can use evaluation tools to weigh the tradeoffs among the solutions, such as by comparing their expense, political feasibility, and practicality side by side. ? And although you could attempt to solve a given problem, you also could try not performing annoying tasks if they no longer add value. If you know that a cure for a big hassle is in the works, but may not be available for a while, a temporary workaround could be your best short-term solution.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Identify actionees to carry out the solutions.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

After prioritizing the issues and brainstorming solutions as explained above, identify actionees or champions who can carry out the solutions. Begin with the highest-priority issues first.

You might identify primary actionees (who will have both the authority and responsibility to implement the solution) as well as secondary actionees who can assist.

If short on time, identify actionees first, and let them start identifying solutions before the next progress meeting.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Establish a tracking and monitoring process.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Set up a schedule to meet and discuss progress regularly. Start by entering the hassles, priorities, actionees, and progress notes into a table, spreadsheet, or database.

By updating the database before each session, your group can meet and confer on the latest input. Also be sure to identify, discuss, document, and prioritize any new hassles that may arise.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember to use these ground rules throughout:

1) Encourage everyone to be candid, but also to avoid blaming or accusing.

2) Everyone should feel free to speak up without criticism.

3) Everyone can help brainstorm solutions!

In conclusion, with ongoing vigilance, demoralizing hassles will stop invading the landscape like poisonous weeds in a garden. Management's unflagging participation and support throughout this entire process will help ensure ultimate success!